Ice storage and discharge apparatus



Sept. 15, 1931;

A. B. WALTERS ICE STORAGE AND DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 4, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 15, 1931. WALTERS 1,823,220

ICE STORAGE AND DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 4. 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 2' I I 4.5% a

P 15, 9 A. B. WALTERS 1,823,220

ICE STORAGE AND DISCHARGE APPARATUS Filed Sept. 4, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet s Patented Sept. 15,1931

"UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARTHUR B. WALTERS, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN TOOL &

' EQUIPMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI ICE STORAGE AND DISCHARGE APPARATUS Application filed September 4, 1928. Serial No. 303,634.

This invention relates to ice storage and discharge apparatus for ice retail stations. Heretofore apparatus for the convenient de livery of ice to what may be known asthe cash and carry trade, have had inclined ways upon which blocks of ice were adapted to stand and to slide'as the removal for delivery of the foremost blockoccurred, and it has been customary to station such apparatus or rack in a room, maintained at a low temperature, containing a supply of blocks of approximately predetermined weight and size, the supply on the rack being replenished at frequent intervals on days of heavy sale. It has also been customary to have a chute leading to the exterior of the building for convenience in transferring the ice from the rack to the dock without requiring the selling dock attendant to enter the cold room.

Racks of the conventional type above referred to, as heretofore made, are objectionablebecause a block of ice, if left standing too long, will usually adhere to the inclined way and not slide forward when free to do so. Also because there has been no provision for guarding against or minimizing waste due to chipping of ice through forcible contact of the blocks. The conventional racks are also objectionable owing to the lack of space to make them long and hence of any material capacity.

My object is to provide a rack element of relatively large capacity, by the provision of a plurality of superposed short sections, and an elevator adapted to receiveall of the blocks of ice, one at a time, from the undermost rack section, and deliver each block to the chute, the elevator cooperating in like.

manner with the section next above until its sections in rotation, the elevator progressively cooperating withieach section without requiring manual attention.

Another object is to provide each rack section with a roller support of such character that the ice will be fed by gravity thereon positively but at a speed so low comparatively that the impact of one block of ice upon another as the rack is charged shall not be sufficiently forcible to produce supply is exhausted, and then with the other much chipping action and hence shall guard against undue waste from such cause. Another object is to provide each rack section with a control mechanism which under normal conditions shall prevent a block or blocks of ice from passing clear through the rack and which, when the foremost block of ice ona rack section is discharged from the section, will automatically grip and hold the s cond block and the following blocks from advance movement.

Another object .is to provide an elevator for automaticallytravelling upward at the front end of the rack sections and as it attains a position in line with the foremost block of ice on a charged rack section, trip the control mechanism from the path of the foremost block thereon to permit it to move forward onto the elevator, and at the same time cause the gripping mechanism toengage the next or second block of ice.

Another object is to provide means to arrest the upward movement of the'elevator beyond a position in alineinent with the first charged rack with which it alines, and separate means for checking the advance movement of each block of ice as it assumes a position wholly upon the elevator.

Another object is to provide means, following the movement of the foremost block of latter, for causing the control mechanism to move downward into the path of forward movement of the block of ice engaged by the gripping mechanism and to release said block to permit it and those behind it to advance upon the rack, said means being of such character that the advance of such block or blocks to engagement with the control mechanism, shall result in the projection of the latter forwardly into the path of the next ascending movement of the elevator.

Another object is to provide means for holding each ice block against discharge from the elevator when the latter is in its most depressed position, and manually-controlled means for tripping said holding means to permit the block of ice on the elevator to slide forwardly therefrom and permit the elevator to be re-elevated for the reception ice onto the elevator and the descent of the i of another block of ice and the gripping -ings, in which:

mechanism to be actuated by such elevator movement to grip the second block of ice on the respective section.

With these objects in view, the invention consists incertai-n novel 3'l'ld l1$6flll. features of construction and combinations ofparts as hereinafter described and claimed; and inorder that itmay be fully understood, reference is to be had to the accompanying draw- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a combined ice storage and discharge rackembodymg the invention, certain parts beingsho'wn in 'posi after the delivery action of the foremost block has begun. v I 4 Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line IVIV-of Figure 3 with the ice supporting rails of the second tier of the racks omitted. Y Figure 5'is a vertical section on the line V V of Figure 3.

FigureG is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line VIVI of Figure 4 with the parts in position they automatically .as-

sume after thesupp ly of the blocks of ice on any particular rack has been exhausted.

Figure 7. is a perspective View of the elevator, with "certain parts omitted, for autoinatically assuming operative relationship "withxa'ny rack in the tier which may contain one or more blocks of ice.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional perspecftive'viewof-one of the track rails and rollers.

I Referring now to the drawings in detail, the rack element of the apparatus is shown "as composed of four sections. The ice block "control mechanism is illustrated only'on the fundermostsection, but it is to be understood that each section will be equipped with a like control mechanism. The rack sections 1 are "inclined and arranged in tiers, each section C'OIlSlStlIIg essentially of a pair of track or supporting rails 2 forblocks of ice,:and a pair of guardrails 3 in a higher plane than the track rails'2 and disposed at a greater distance apart than the latter so as to stand at :opposite sides of the blocks. Atthe receiving or'rea'r-end of the rack sections, is a supporting frame 4 through which the blocks are loaded onto the tracks, and at the opposite or front end, is a supportin'gframe composed ofsta'ndards 5, the standards 5 being provided int-he planes of the tracks of all of the racks except the undermost one, with crosspins or stops 6, for .a purpose which hereinafter appears. The series of rack sections thus constructed are rendered rigid in any suitable manner, as by tie connections 7 and inclined braces 8. The blocks of ice rest upon rollers 9 carried bythe tracks, and it has been found that it is very desirable that these rollers shall be toothed (see Figure 8), as by such construction less metal of the rollers is brought into direct contact with the ice than if the peripheries of the rollers were smooth.

This is important as it has been found that ice standing in an ice house in the racks over night will frequently freeze to and not slide down the rack when free to do so, and it has also-been found that the'slope or incline of the tracks may be made less if toothed rollers are employed than if the rollers are smooth, and that consequently the blocks of ice while having a positive movement when free to move, donot move as fast, and hence the annoyance and waste of chipping ice due to forcible contact of one block upon another when the racks are beingloaded, is very much "minimized.

- Arranged parallel with the standards '5 at the lower-ends of the racks are similar standards 10, the sets of standards 5 and 10 being preferably mounted on a common base plate 11 disposed a distance below the lower or discharge end-of the unde-rmostrack, slightly greater than the height of the largest "block of ice to be stored on the rack. An elevator is arranged to travel vertically in the space between the standards '5 and 10 and between the latter, the elevator being constructed as follows: "There are parallel sides 12 bridging the space between the adjacent standards '5 and 10, and equipped at their outer sides with upper-and lower rollers '13 to travel against or u on the opposing faces of said standards. (lonnecting the sides near their upper 'ends is a stationary shaft 15, and attached at its lowerrend'to said shaft is acable 16 which extends to a point above the highest of the racks and over a'pulley 17, and is equipped at its opposite end with a Weight lScapable of lifting 'theelevator high enough to receive ice blocks from the topmost rack. Theelevator further comprises a cross plate 19 connecting the sides 12 and forming a support for corresponding ends of a pair of p the cross rod 22 to the sides 12,and secured to the sides-are guides or guards'f24 disposed at times in substantial alinement with the guards 3,'to prevent lateral displacement of the blocks of ice upon the'elevator.

When the elevator is empty it will be 'l-iif-ted 'b the weight 18. When loaded with a block of ice the elevator will overbalance chipping of the ice.

the weight" 18 and move downward. To arrest each block of ice as it assumes a position uponthe elevator, a vertical stop bar 25 is provided which extends for substantially the full height of the rack element and is equipped at its rear sidewith' a rubber or equivalent cushion or buffer strip 26 to receive the impact of each block of ice as the latter assumes its position on the elevator, this rubber strip or buffer 26 serving to minimize shocks or jars and to guard against The buffer stop bar is connected atits upper and lower ends to the top ofstandards and and to side bars 26 secured to the-standards 10 (see Figure 1). Below the plane of the undermost rack section and extendingthrough the ,wallW, of the building, to a loading dock D, is a chute 27 down through which each block ofice is permitted to'passwhendesired for delivery to a purchaser, provided the loaded elevator has completed its descent. To prevent the block of ice from sliding off the elevator into the ch'utethere is'a'stop 28 pivoted ata convenient point to a part fixed with respect to the frame work, which stop has'a shoulder 29 for engagement by a pivoted catch 30 also suitably pivoted at a fixed point, and said catch is pivotally connected'by a link 31with the lower end or head ofthe core 32 of a solenoid 33. Under normal conditions the stop occupies the position shownin' Figure 1, so as to hold the block of ice as shown in dotted lines in said figure on the depressed elevator, against entering the chute 27. When delivery of'such block is desired, the dock attendant through the medium of a push button or switch and other proper electrical connections, notshown, energizes the solenoid and causes the same to withdraw the pivoted catch from the path of shoulder 29, and thereby unlock the stop,this action being immediately followed by the gravitative' advance of the block of ice, the latter ushing the stop aside in an obvious manner. l Vhen the block has cleared the stop the lat ter drops back to its original position. At about the same time the operator releases the push button or other control device to permit the catch to swing over the shoulder 29 and thus again lock the stop in operative posi tion. As conventional in apparatus of this character, there will be a door, not shown, to

shut off the ingress of outside air from the chute which will be opened onlywhen abl'ockof ice is desired by said attendant.

For automatically controlling the movement of the ice blocks on each rack member and for assuming an inoperative position when the supply of ice on the respective member is exhausted, the following construction is provided: 7

On each member there is a U-shaped stirrup 34 underlying the tracks of the rack and depending from" and secured to the guards 3 of such rack, the bottom part of the stirrup being desirable primarily as a bracing means for the sides thereof. Pivoted at 35 to one side of each stirrup is a bell crank lever 36, one arm being equipped with an adjustable weight 37 tending to hold the lever in the position shown by Figure 6. Pivoted to each lever is an arm 38, and said arms extend between the standards 5 and are limited in their upward swinging movement as hereinafter described, by the immediately overlying stop 6. The arms are connected near their front ends by a cushioned cross rod stop 39 and have extensions 40 projecting forwardly'beyond said stop, the extensions preferably having hook-shaped terminals, it being also noted that the front ends of arms 38 occupy vertical planes slightly inward of the sides l2 of the elevator so as to avoid conflict therewith. lVhen the rack is empty the weights 37 as hereinbefore stated, hold, the bell crank levers in the position shown by Figure 6, said levers therefore holding the arms 38 withdrawn so that they shall not overlie and therefore interfere with or be affected by upward movement of the elevator, which under such conditions is free to move upward beyond an empty rack section. The arms 38 are pivotally connected by links ll with levers 42 pivoted at 43 to the stirrup. and projecting inwardly from the fulcrum ends of the levers are short arms 44. provided with upwardly projecting prongs 45. These prongs, when the respective rack section is empty (see Figure 6) are below the horizontal plane of the rollers 9 of such section so that a block of ice introduced at the rear end of the empty section can slide forwardly therein until it is arrested by the stop 39, which at such time, as indicated by Figure 6, stands squarely in its path, and it will likewise be obvious that enough blocks of ice may be introduced into the said rack section to completely fill it if desired, each block after the first one being arrested in its forward travel by the preceding block, as the blocks will abut endwise together as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 3. Each rack section will be loaded in the same manner,

as the respective stop bar 39 occupies the corresponding position as long as the elevator is either in its fully depressed position or in the position relative to a particular rack sec tion as indicated in Figure 6, in which position the elevator is partly elevated and may be either ascending if empty, or descending if loaded, as it will never stand at rest in the position last mentioned.

Assuming that the elevator has been 1nan ually lowered to the position approximately shown by Figure 6, the control mechanism will be down and projected forward by the pressure of the foremost block of ice on stop 39. The elevator on its next ascent, causes rod 15 to engage the hooks 40 so as to swing 5 the arms 38 upward 'untilsucl'r movement is arrested by the overlying stop 6, it being noted in this operation that the hook terminals guard against the possibility of the weights 37 pulling the arms 38 'rearwardly' from; the path of the crossrod l5. The'arrest of the upward movement of thearms 38 by the stop 6, checks upward movement of the elevator,- and as this movement is about corn= pleted the incidental upward rocking move-'1 'ments of levers 42 cause the prongs 45 to bite into the overlying block of ice, and apply lifting force thereto, which block is immediately back of the one which was behind the stop 39- until the upward movement of the arms 38 raised said step to a plane above that of saidblock. As thiswithdrawal of the stop 39 from the path of the foremost block of ice .is effected, the elevator has attained a position substantially as shown in Figure 3, so that the foremost block of, ice

zrank levers from the position shown by Figure 3 to the position shown by Figure 6. The pull thus applied on arms 38 is rearward, and due to the force of gravity, said arms: swing downward, which movement transmitted through the linlrs4l, rocks the levers 42 downward so that by the time the stop 39 has attained a position in the path of "forward movement of the. ice .blocks,.the

block of ice engaged bythe prongs 45 will be released. thereby and therefore move forward with the blocks behind it, until arrested by the said stop 39, it being noted that the pressure imposed by the block-on the said stop,:.will overcomethe resistance of the weights37andthus effect sufficient forward movement of the arms 38 to dispose their hook terminals in the path of vertical movement of the elevator cross rod 15, as. shown by Figure 1. Upon the removal of the block of ice from theelevator by permitting it to pass through the chute, the elevator is raised by the weight 18, and in its upward movement its cross rod 15 engages extensions 40 of and swings arms 38 upward to the'positi'on shown by Figure 3, and: it attainsa position 111 line with the respective rack section immediately after the foremost block thereon I has been released by upward movement of the stop 39 so that the foremost'block of ice ,on the rack can slide forward onto the elevator, it being notedfthat about the; time this advance of said block of ice; is free to occur, the levers 42 have caused-the prongs 45 to engage the next block of ice on the rack so thatsaid block shall-be held against forward movement until the: descent of the elevator under the weight of the ice thereon has permitted the weights 37. to withdraw arms 38- and the latter have swung downward to disppsethe stop 39 in the path ofsaid next block 0 ice. i r

The operations described are repeated until the supply of ice'on the particular rack section has been exhausted. When this occurs the controllingmechanismautomatically as E sumes, under the. action of-the weights 37 and'the 'gravitative force ofarms 38,, the inoperative position shown by Figure ,6, and in consequence the elevator is free to beraised by weight 18 to cooperate in theman- 5 ner described with the next higher rack section, the operations being identical; with those described, except'thatthe travel of the elevator is increased as it cooperates progressively with the higher rack sections. p s

From the above description and drawings, it willbe apparent that I have produced ap paratus of the character set forth, which embodies the features of advantage enumerated in the statement of theobjects of the invention, andwhile I have illustrated and described the preferredembodiment, it will be understood that it is susceptible of change in various particulars within the principle of construction. and mode of operation involved 1 and without departure from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim: V r 1. In apparatus of the character described, an inclined rack down which a block of ice 1 is adapted to travel, means for normally holding the block on the discharge end of the rack, an elevator adapted for automatic upward travel and to trip the said holding means, means to arrest'the upward move- ,1 ment of the elevator when it attains a position in alinement with and at the discharge ward travel and to trip the saidholding means, means to arrest the upward movement of the elevator when it attains, a position in alinement with and at the discharge endof 1 the rack, for the rec'eptionof the released block of ice, a buffer to arrest said block of ice .Whenresting wholly on ,the' elevator and means to withdraw the means for arresting upward movement of the elevator from the path of upward travel of the latter after the latter is started on its downward travel.

I 3. In apparatus of the character described, an inclined rack down which a block of ice is adapted to travel, means for normally holding the block on the discharge end of the rack, an elevator adapted for automatic upward travel and to trip the said holding means, means to arrest the upward movement of the elevator when it attains a position in alinement with and at the discharge end of the rack, for the reception of the released block of ice, a pivoted catch for engaging and retaining the block of ice on the elevator when the latter is at the lowest point of its travel, and means for tripping said catch to permit of the discharge of the block of ice from the elevator.

4. In apparatus of the character described, an inclined rack down which a block of ice is adapted to travel, means for normally holding the block on the discharge end of the rack,'an elevator adapted for automatic upward travel and to trip the said holding means, means to arrest the upward movement of the elevator whenit attains a position in alinement with and at the discharge end of the rack, for the reception of the released block of ice, means for" engaging the block of ice when the elevator has fully descended under the weight of the block of ice, to retain the block uponthe elevator, means for looking the ice-engaging means against accidental movement and mean-s for tripping the locking means to permit of the discharge of the block of ice from the elevator. I 5. In apparatus of the character described, an inclined rack down which a block of ice is adapted to travel, means for normally holdng the block on the discharge end of the rack, an elevator adapted for automatic upward travel and to trip the said holding means, means overlying the elevator and movable upward thereby with the said block holding means, andan ice impaling mechanism actuatedby upward movement of the means overlying the elevator, to engage a second block of ice on the rack as the other or foremost block is released to pass from the rack onto the elevator.

6. In apparatus of the character described, an inclined rack down which a block of ice is adapted to travel, means for normally holding the block'on the discharge end of the rack, and elevator adapted for automatic upward travel, means in the path of upward travel of the elevator and adapted to be moved upward by the latter to trip the said holding means, a gripping mechanism actuated by upward movement of the said means in the path of upward travel of the elevator, to grip a second block of ice on the rack as the other or foremost block is released to pass from the rack onto the elevator, and means for exerting yielding force upon the descent of the loaded elevator, to dispose the said means in the path of upward movement of the elevator in inoperative position relative to the latter.

7 In apparatus of the character described,

the combination of an inclined rack down which blocks of ice are adapted to slide, an elevator to receive a block of ice from the rack, yielding means for raising the elevator when empty to the receiving position and ed to the lever for swinging movement therep on in a vertical plane and for endwise with drawal movement thereby, and a stop car.- ried by the arm and adapted when the latter is inits withdrawn and depressed position to be engaged and moved forward by a following block of ice sliding forward on the rack to impart forward movement to said arm and overcome the resistance of and rock said lever.

the combination of an inclined rack down which blocks of ice are adapted to slide, an elevator to receive a block of ice from the rack, yielding means for raising the elevator when empty to the receiving position and gg for permitting the elevator to descend from such position when loaded with the block of ice, a lever suitably fulcrumed at a fixed point with respect to the rack, an arm pivoted to the lever for swinging movement thereon in a 510 vertical plane and for endwise withdrawal movement thereby, a stop carried by the arm and adapted when the latter is in its withdrawn and depressed position to be engaged and moved forward by a following block of ice sliding forward on the rack to impart forward movement to said arm and overcome the resistance of and rock said lever, and a hook terminal projecting forward from said arm and held normally withdrawn 1 by said lever from the path of travel of the elevator and projected forwardly into the path of upward travel of the elevator under the pressure of the said following block of ice on the rack in engagement with said stop. J15

so that said arm shall be swung upward by the elevator in the next upward movement of the latter.

9. In apparatus of the character described,

the combination of an inclined rack down; J20

which blocks of ice are adapted toslide, an elevator to receive a block of ice from the rack, yielding means for raising the elevator when empty to the receiving position and for permitting the elevator to descend from such 125 a vertical plane and for endwise withdrawal me 8. In apparatus of the character described, L

movement thereby, a stop carried by the arm and adapted when the latter is in its withdrawn and depressed position to be engaged and moved forward by a following block of ice sliding forward on the rack to impart forward movement to said arm and overcome the resistance of and rock said lever, a hook terminal projecting forward from said. arm

and held normally withdrawn by said lever from the pathof travel of the elevator and projected forwardly into the path of up ward travel of the elevator under the pressure of the said following block of, ice on the 5 :rack on said stop so that said arm shall be upward movement of thelatter, and a stop swung upward by the elevator in the next ;ing the elevator when empty to the receiving position and for permitting the elevator to descend from such position when loaded with a block ofv ice, a lever suitably fulcrumed at'afixed point with respect to the rack, an arm pivoted to the lever forswinging movement thereon in a vertical plane and for endwise withdrawal movement thereby, a stop carried by-the arm and, adapted'whenl the latter is in its withdrawn and depressed position to be, engaged and, moved forward by a, block of ice sliding forward on the rack to. impart forward movement to said arm and overcome the resistance of and rocksaid lever, a hook terminal projecting forward fromtsaidi arm and held normally withdrawn said lever fromthe' path of travel: of the elevator and projected forwardly into the ,p-ath of upward. travel of theelctator under the pressureofthe blockof ice on the rack on. said step, sothat said arm shall be swung upward by the: elevator in the next upward movement of thelatter, a stop for arresting upward swinging movement of said arm when the elevator has ascended to a positionin line-with the rack for the reception 7 ofthe blook of ice released by the first-named stop about the timethearrest of the upward movement of the elevator occurs, a second lever pivoted at a point fixed with relation to the rack, and means connecting said sec-- ond lever and said arm to operate the former i as. the latter moves upward, to apply alifting, pressureon the following block, and for imparting reverse movement to said lever to withdraw the'lifting pressure from the block upon downward movement of the elevator.

11. In apparatus of the character described, the combination of an inclined rack down which blocks of ice are adapted to slide, an elevator to receive the foremost block of ice from the rack, yielding means for raising the elevator when empty to the receiving position and for permitting theelevator to de- 7 scend from such position when loaded with a block of ice, a lever suitably fulcrumed at a fixed point with respect to the rack, an arm pivoted to the lever for swinging movement thereon in a vertical plane and for endwise,

withdrawal movement thereby, a stop carried by the arm and adapted when the latter is in its withdrawn and depressed position to be engaged and moved forward by a following block of ice, sliding forward on the rack to impart forward movement to said arm and overcome the resistance of and rock said lever, a hook terminal projecting forward from said arm and held normally withdrawn by said lever from the path of travel of the elevator and projected forwardly into the path of. upward travel of the elevator under the pressure of the saidfoll'owing block of ice on the rack on said stop so that said arm shall be swung upward by the elevator in the next upward movement of the latter, a stop for arresting upward swinging movement of said arm when the elevator has ascended to a position in line with the rack for the reception of the said following block of ice released by the first named stop about the time the arrest" of the upward movement of'the elevator occurs, a second lever pivoted at a point fixed with relation to the rack and provided with an upwardly projecting prong,

and a link pivotally connecting thefront end of said leverwith the said armso that upon the upward movement of the latter effected by corresponding travel of'the elevator, said prong shall engage and ap'plyra' liftingpressure on a secondiblock of ice on the rack to prevent forward movement thereof as the foremost or first block is released to assume a position upon the elevator; said arm upon swinging downward as the elevator descends,

transmitting power through said link to swing the second lever'downward to lower its prong from engagement with said second block ofice to permit the latter to slide forward and engage the stop carried by said swing arm and, overcomlng the reslstance ef' the first-named lever, advance said arm until its hook terminal attains a position in the path of upward movement of the elevator;

12. In apparatus of thecharacterdescribech.

a rack comprising a suitably supported in 'clined track rail, anti-friction toothed rollers carried by the rail and projecting slightly above the same, side guards in' a higher plane than and at opposite sides of the vertical,

plane of the track rail, an elevator at the discharge end of the rack, having an inclined track rail and side guards in a plane above and at opposite sides of the track rail, and yielding means for raising the elevator, when empty, to alinement with the discharge end of the rack for permitting the elevator to descend when loaded with a block of ice.

13. In apparatus of the character described, a rack comprising a suitably supported inclined track rail, antifriction toothed rollers carried by the rail and projecting slightly above the same, side guards in a higher plane than and at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the track rail, an elevator at the discharge end of the rack, having an inclined track rail and side guards in a plane above and at opposite sides of the track rail, yielding means for raising the elevator, when empty, to alinement with the discharge end of the rack for permitting the elevator to descend when loaded wit-h a block of ice, and means for holding a second block of ice on and at the discharge end of the rack when the elevator descends.

14. I11 apparatus of the character de scribed, a rack comprising suitably supported inclined track rail, anti-friction toothed rollers carried by the rail and projecting slightly above the same, side guards in a higher plane than and at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the track rail, an'

elevator at the discharge end of the rack, having an inclined track rail and side guards in a plane above and at opposite sides of the track rail, yielding means for raising the elevator, when empty, to alinement with the discharge end of the rack and for permitting the elevator to descend when loaded with a block of ice, means for holding a. second block of ice on and at the discharge end of the rack when the elevator descends, and means to retain the block of ice on the elevator when the latter has attained its fully depressed position.

15. In apparatus of the character described, a rackcomprising a suitably supported inclined track rail, anti-friction toothed rollers carried by the rail and projecting slightly above the same, side'guards in a. higher plane than and at opposite sides of the vertical plane of the track rail, an

' elevator at the discharge end of the rack,

having'an inclined track rail and side guards in a plane above and at opposite sides of the track rail, yielding means for raising the elevator, when empty, to alinement with the discharge end of the rack and for permitting the elevator to descend when loaded with a block of ice, means for holding a second block of ice on and at the discharge end of the rack when the elevator descends, means actuated by the second block of ice sliding forward on the rack to the discharge end of the elevator, to intercept the path of upward movement of the elevator, and means actuvator by said object, and means movable with the stop to assume a position in the path of upward travel of the elevator.

, 17. In apparatus of the character described, a framework providing an elevator pathway, an. elevator therein, a rack for carrying and guiding an object onto the elevator, a stop movable forward toward the elevator by said object,'means movable with the stop, to assume a position in the path of upward travel of the elevator, and means to limit upward movement of the first-named means by the elevator when the said stop attains a position above the path of the said object to permit the latter to advance and assume a position on the elevator.

18. In apparatus of the character described, a frameworkproviding an elevator pathway, an elevator therein, a rack for carrying and guiding an object to the elevator, a stop movable forward toward the elevator by said object, means movable with the stop, to assume a position in the path of upward travel of the elevator, means to limit upward movement of the first-named means by the elevator when the said stop attains a position above the path of the said object to permit the latter to assume a position on the elevator, and means actuated by the means movable with the stop when moved upward by the elevator, to grip a second object on the rack to hold the same stationary as the first object moves onto the elevator.

scribed, a framework providing an elevator pathway, an elevator therein, a rack for carrying and guiding an object onto the elevator, a stop movable forward toward the elevator by said object, means movable with the stop, to assume a position in the path of upward travel of the elevator, means to limit upward movement of the first-named means by the elevator when the said stop attains a position 20. In apparatus of the character de-;

19. In apparatus of the character described; a. framework providing an elevator pathway, an elevator therein, yielding means to efiect upward travel of the elevator-,a rack leading to the elevator pathway for feeding blocksof ice successively onto the elevator, a pivoted arm normally free to swingdownward and adapted to be swung upward by the elevator as the latter in ascending attains a certain position, a stop movable with said armtoibe withdrawn thereby in said upward movement, from the path of forward move- 'ment. ofthe foremost block of ice on the rack to; permit the latter to occupy the elevator and effect. its descent, and to move downward with said arm as the descent-of the elevator occurs, into the path of advance movement of the next or second block of ice on the rack, and yielding means for withdrawing the arm from the elevator pathway and holding it withdrawn until-the power of: the yielding means is overcome by the advance of the-next block of ice on the rack against the said stop.

In testimony whereof I afiix. my signature.

ARTHUR B. VVA-LTERS.

rezaazo 

